Closure member for containers



Nov. 9, 1954 w. BAKKER CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 29, 1951FIG.5 FIG.6

FIG.4

FIG .8

FIG.3

. INVENTOR 43.} ATTORNEY;

United States Patent 2,693,978 CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS. Willem atlers imli tm N h r a ds Appiication June 29, 1951, Serial N0. 234,182Claims priority, application Netherlands May 11, 1951 2 Claims. (Ch292.-25 6.6)

The invention relates to a closure member for containers, comprising acover having an overhanging. wall arranged on the inner or outersidearound the neck of the container and a rolling ring of resilientmaterial provided between the cover wall, and the neck of the container,said ring maintaining the cover against the top edge of the containerwhen the latter is in its locked position.

When using similar closure members which present generally an elasticjoint ring or joint sheet provided between the top edge of the containerneck and cover it was hitherto of common use to apply a rolling ringwith a smooth surface. This does not only Present the draw% back thatthe rolling ring may slip when closing the container, thus reducing theclosing force applied on the cover or even entirely preventing theoccurring of said force, but also that special measures'haye to be takenin order to prevent that on closing the 'cover no excess pressure and onopening the cover no under-pressure occurs in thecontainer or the space,between the cover wall and the container wall above "the 'rolling ring,respectively.

The above specified disadvantages are met by the closure memberaccording to the invention by that the rolling ring presents on at leasttwo parts of its periphery which are spaced relative to one another ribsand grooves arranged in such a manner as to form teeth which socooperate with corresponding grooves and ribs provided on the walls ofthe cover and the container neck facing the rolling ring that on openingand closing the cover said teeth of the rolling ring will engage saidgrooves on the walls. Due to the fact that the teeth of the rolling ringwill engage the ribs of the cover wall and the container wall as is thecase with a gear wheel, any slipping of the rolling ring relative tosaid walls of the cover and the container neck is impossible. Inaddition, the rolling ring according to the invention need not beclamped between two faces, as is the case with smooth rolling rings, tomake it possible that such smooth rolling rings turn about their ownaxes, but some play may exist between the rolling rings and said faces,since the teeth will assure the rolling action. A further advantage ofthis construction resides in the fact that no exactly determineddimensions for the rolling ring need be considered, while the spaceabove the rolling ring constantly communicates with the atmosphere pastsaid ring.

According to the invention the teeth in use with said closure member andwith the rolling ring applied to it, respectively, may be so constructedthat the cross section of the rolling ring is of starlike shape on anypart of the ring Where teeth are present. Said teeth may also have apyramidical shape.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings showing by way of example a closure memberaccording to the invention and some rolling rings, and in which:

The Figures 1-6 represent in side-view and in cross section,respectively, four embodiments of part of a rolling ring according tothe invention.

Figure 7 shows part of a closure member according to the invention.

The Figures 8-10 are a lateral view and a cross sectional view,respectively, of three embodiments of part of a rolling ring in use onthe closure member as shown in Figure 7.

Referring now to the figures, the rolling ring 1 presents a plurality ofthickened portions arranged in spaced relation to each other on theperiphery of the ring. The figures only illustrate the portions 2 and 3.Each of said thickened portions is provided on its periphery. withtoothlike ribs extending circumferentially ofthe rolling ring, so thatsaid thickened portions present in cross section along the line lVlV ofFigure -l the shape illustrated in Figure 4.

The rolling ring 4 as shown in Figure 2 is in the same manner as. therolling ring 1 shown in Figure'l provided with thickened portions 5, 6,but said thickened portions have at their periphery pyramidical teeth 9.

The rolling ring 7 as shown in the Figures 3 and 4 presents on the wholeof its surface teeth 3 extending circumferentially, the rolling ring 8as illustrated in the Figures 5 and 6 having pyramidical teeth 9 on thewhole of its surface.

Figure 6 represents in cross section along the line VI-;1V'-l therolling rings 4 and 8 shown in the Figures 2 an 5.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of part of a container neck 10, saidcontainer being provided with a cover 11 which is also only partlyrepresented; In this figure the cover 11 is in a position in which thecontainer is not yet quite closed. The neck 10 presents on its outerface ribs 12 and grooves 13serving as teeth.

The cover 11 has anoverhanging wall 14 engaging the neck '10 of thecontainer. Said overhanging wall presents on its interior face ribs 15and grooveslfi which also serve as teeth.

Between the inner wall 14 of the cover and the neck wall 10 of thecontainer there is provided a rolling ring 17: of elastic material whichis so fitted with grooves and ribs that it presents in cross section theshape of a star with four points. The dimensions of the rolling ring 17,of its points, as well as of the ribs and grooves in the inner wall ofthe cover and in the neck wall of the container are so determined thatthe rolling ring cooperates like a gear wheel with the above mentionedgrooves and ribs. Due to this construction the air which is presentbetween the points of the star will be in a position to escape from thespace above the rolling ring when said ring makes a revolution about itsown axis, i. e. when the cover is pushed downwardly, whereas on openingthe cover air may penetrate into the space above the rolling ring 17.

The rolling ring is of molded elastic and the molded elastic rollingring is rolled by the rolling force of the cover 11 moving relative tothe neck of the container. When the ring is rolled slightly more thanone half of one full revolution but less than a full revolution, thering is elastically stressed and the stress set up therein acts to urgethe ring to self-complete the revolution and return to its originalstate. Considering the locking nature of the ring in the closing actionof the cover, it will be understood that when the cover is closed tightand movement thereof relative to the neck has ceased, the ring will bein a rolled state of slightly more than one half of a full revolutionand will be under 'elastic stress to complete the full revolution. Suchstress will urge the Patented ring to complete the full revolution andthe ring will respond to such urgement by acting on the cover to hold ittightly in a closed position. In this respect, it will be noted, from aconsideration of Fig. 7, that the rolling ring is rolled in ananti-clockwise direction as the flange of the cover moves downwardlyrelative to the neck of the container to assume a closed position. Thering is rolled in an anti-clockwise direction and walks downwardly onthe neck and upwardly on the flange. When the closure wall of the coverbears tightly on the joint ring 18 and compresses it, the rolling ringwill then be in a rolled position where it has just executed slightlymore than one half ofone revolution, that is, the last revolution in aseries. Therefore, the elastic stress set up therein will urge it tocomplete the revolution and return to its natural state and the ringwill act, under such stress, on the flange of the cover to hold thecover down tightly on the joint ring 18.

The Figures 8 and 9 illustrate two embodiments of rolling rings adaptedfor use at the container with cover according to Figure 7.

The rolling ring 19 as shown in Figure 8 has in spaced 3 relationportions of starlike cross section presenting four points 20. Therolling ring 21 as shown in Figure 9 has on the whole of its surface astarlike cross section with four points 22.

It is evident that instead of a starlike cross section with four pointssuch a cross section with any given number of points may be applied.Thus, for example, the rolling ring 23 presents eight points 24..

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to theembodiments shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing andreferred to above, but that these embodiments are subject tomodification in various ways Without departing from the scope of theinvention.

Thus, for example, the grooves in the walls of the cover and thecontainer neck may be provided in local ribs or riblike portions of thecover and/or the container neck. This construction will assure that thespace above the rolling ring continuously communicates with theatmosphere, since the air can always flow past the ribs into and out ofthe space above the rolling ring. The joint ring 18 may just as well besubstituted by an elastic joint sheet provided in the cover. It isevident that for closing the cover the rolling ring must always make atleast more than one half of a full revolution or more than an odd numberof half revolutions but less than an even number of half revolutions. Inother words, the ring will end up in a stressed state wherein it hasexecuted slightly greater than one half of one revolution and is left insuch elastically stressed state to act on the cover and hold the coverunder elastic force in its closed position.

I claim:

1. In combination, a container having a neck formed with exterioralternating circumferentially extending vertically spaced ribs andgrooves, a cover having a depending wall extending around the neck inspaced radial relation thereto and having alternating circumferentiallyextending ribs and grooves, and a molded elastic rolling ring interposedbetween the wall and the neck of the container and havingcircumferentially spaced thickened portions, said thickened portionsbeing formed with angularly spaced radial teeth and said teeth defininggrooves therebetween, the teeth of the rolling ring cooperating with theribs and grooves on the neck and wall of the cover so that on openingand closing the cover the teeth of the rolling ring will engage in thegrooves and mesh with the ribs.

2. In combination, a container having a neck formed with verticallyspaced exterior circumferentially extending ribs, said ribs definingcircumferential grooves therebetween, a cover for said container havinga depending peripheral flange circumposed on the neck in spaced radialrelation thereto and having interior alternating circumferentiallyextending ribs and grooves, and a molded elastic rolling closing ringinterposed between the flange and the neck and having circumferentiallyangularly spaced radially projecting teeth meshing with the ribs on theflange and neck to hold the cover under elastic force in a closedposition on the neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 138,502 King May 6, 1873 769,866 Jones Sept. 13, 19051,502,673 Hole July 29, 1924 2,247,609 De Vilbiss July 1, 1941 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 101,734 Australia July 30, 1937 173,852Germany Sept. 13, 1905 482,443 France Dec. 28, 1916 597,765 France Sept.7, 1925

